TEN WEEKS
by Destiny Kitty
Summary: Stuck with an unwanted houseguest for the entire summer, how will Sora deal? What will Riku do to escape being trapped in the middle of nowhere? **Story may continue some time in the future...**
1. intro

Disclamer: Kingdom Hearts and its boys belong to Disney, Square Enix, or both…

_Rrrring. Rrrring._

"Hello, my life sucks."

"_Sora?"_

"Yeah?"

"_What's wrong?"_

"What makes you think something's wrong?"

There was a snort. _"You hardly ever curse, and why else would you be quoting chick flicks?"_

After a short pause, Sora responded with a moody "So?"

"_Come on, I'm your best friend. I will find out eventually. Don't make me come over there."_

A sigh traveled down the phone line, followed by the admission – "Mom invited someone to stay with us for the summer."

"_That sounds cool. Who is it?"_

"The son of a friend of hers from college."

"_Do you know him?"_

"No." Sora paused, considering. "The only other time we've met, he got annoyed by me talking and locked me in my play pen."

Irritated by the giggled response, the boy continued, "He's going to ruin summer!"

"_Oh, come on, it won't be that bad!"_

"Fine, you deal with him."

"_Don't worry; I'll save you from your scary house guest."_ He could hear her grinning, but didn't mind so much after her reassurance. At least there would be one person on his side; his mother had invited the intruder in the first place, and his father would side with her. Her enthusiasm about having another teenage boy into his house made him feel betrayed. He was perfectly happy being the only child.

Sora finally tuned back into Kairi's long-winded explanations of how they would defend themselves from the outsider when she asked, _"What do you think of Mission Summer Vacation?"_

"More like Mission Impossible."

She laughed again, a happy, easy laugh that he had known all his life. _"Sure,"_ she agreed. _"Mission Impossible it is."_

They talked for a few more minutes before Kairi's mother called her for supper. Before hanging up, as an afterthought, she asked, _"Oh, so what is this guy's name, anyway?"_

"Riku."

**TEN WEEKS**

_By Destiny Kitty _

Sora sighed, staring out over the lawn. His idle fingers drummed against the rope of the hammock in which he was swinging. Music filtered across the lawn from inside the house. _Waiting, _he thought_, and waiting. How late are they going to be? _

His mother had told him she would be back by now. The flight had arrived almost two hours ago. That was plenty of time to pick up one passenger and drive home, right? The airport was only forty-five minutes away.

Sora rolled over and redirected his eyes to the sky, between the thick branches of the trees holding up his hammock. He hated to admit it, but he was a little jealous. It was the first time his mother hadn't been there to pick him up on the last day of school. They always celebrated the beginning of summer with a barbeque. It was one of their rituals to celebrate a special day, and this one was ruined.

_If there was no point in being here anyway, why did I have to come home after school anyway? I could be with friends having fun. Instead, I'm sitting here alone waiting for her to bring that kid home with her. _

A car drove by on the road down the hill, and Sora watched it upside-down for just long enough to decide that it wasn't his mother. A breeze blew in from the lake and carried with it the sounds of the neighbors playing volleyball.

It had been two weeks since he had told Kairi about the imminent invasion of his peaceful home. They had spent those last two weeks of school joking about their 'mission impossible' and sharing the story with other friends while planning summer events. She had pointed out that this 'Riku' kid might not be as bad as Sora remembered, since one incident that happened a dozen years ago was not much basis for an opinion, but Sora still could not bring himself to expect anything good, no matter what his mother or Kairi said.

Now school had finally ended and all he had to look forward to was finding out how much his summer vacation would be ruined.

Sora sighed again, hauling himself off the hammock. _Almost dinnertime… I suppose I should get something ready. _

There was no reason not to have a barbecue, in spite of an unwanted house guest. Sora dug hamburgers out of the freezer and lit the grill in the back yard, letting the flames build and steady themselves while he found a few other essentials.

The apprehension that he had not noticed building over the past hours and days eased as he followed familiar routines, preparing dinner for three. It was a simple solace: setting three places at the table, grilling burgers and throwing together a salad. His mother spent a lot of time with him in the kitchen, so it was a place he was very comfortable in and that calmed him, despite the growing dread that his mother's return symbolized.

So despite misgivings, Sora was almost ready to welcome the newcomer when he finally heard the automatic garage door open, signaling his mother's return. He set freshly grilled burgers on the kitchen table as the back door opened.

From the breezeway he heard his mother's voice say, "Please come in."

She turned the corner struggling with an armful of mail, keys, purse, and coffee cup. Dropping the pile on a desk, she turned to Sora and gave him a wavering smile that told him she was near the end of her rope. He recognized it as the same look she had given him after their last fight about the fact that she had invited another teenager into the house without asking him first.

The knuckles of her hands had been white as she finally asked, _**Please, Sora, just work with it.**_

_**But why does he have to come here? **_Sora had not been able to resist whining one last time.

_**It was something I could do for my friend. The boy is having a hard time right now. **_

And as _the boy_ in question finally appeared, Sora thought that _a hard time_ didn't cover it. This kid looked like all the stereotypes about what was wrong with cities, teenagers, and modern times in general, rolled into one.

Slightly off-balance, he leaned against a wall to take in the kitchen. Oversized camouflage pants and a black tee-shirt hung from his shoulders and hips, worn black sneakers mostly hidden by crumpled, frayed fabric. Black and silver jewelry flashed from different nooks and curves of his body – neck, fingers, wrists, ears, lip. _Like a member of a gang_, Sora thought in annoyance. The other boy twitched his head to the side and pale hair fell across one blue-green eye.

_Who dyes their hair silver, anyway? What a freak._

Against the neighborhood, the house, and the relatively peaceful, routine way of life in Sora's family, Riku clashed vividly. Too vividly to ever be reconciled.

Sora decided, as the teens stared at each other, that the summer was doomed.

**nunununununununununununununununununun**

Hi! So it's been a while since I posted anything… obviously… but I feel like writing. This is not an entirely new story, since I came up with the idea in June 2006, so we'll see how fast I can get through the story. (I really wish I had written it last year.) Plus it's mid-semester here and that will likely interfere with things… but if you want to see the story get going and continue, tell me and that will help. I also might start posting a couple other stories.

The chick flick Sora was quoting in the first lines was "She's the Man." Paul (Amanda Bynes friend who looks like Jude Law?) answers the phone like that.

Enjoy! I'll update as fast as I can with the second chapter.


	2. clash

Hi, to anyone reading this… sorry about the wait. I've been debating whether to write entirely from Sora's point of view, since I feel like pro authors mostly write from one POV, but I just can't. The beginning would be possible but later on especially I feel like I will need to write from Riku's POV as well. I still think the story might be better off without giving away its secrets early, so I may change my mind… I don't know. Clearly I'm conflicted over this and it's affecting the story a lot. So I apologize. Thank you Silv for reviewing twice, I didn't know it was possible.

Disclamer: Kingdom Hearts and its kids belong to Disney and Square Enix. Swearing courtesy angry teenagers...

**TEN WEEKS**

clash

_By Destiny Kitty _

"Riku? This is my son, Sora. Sora, Riku."

The silver-haired head twitched slightly, but the taller boy did not move to shake the hand Sora offered. The brunette dropped his hand quickly, glancing at his mother in an expression of _see, I told you_ as he started to open his mouth.

She gave him a slightly reprimanding look and said, "Would you show Riku up to the guest room, please? Then come down for dinner. Looks like you have everything almost ready."

Sora was about to protest but she caught him in a quick hug and said, "Thank you, honey," before he had the chance. So he had no choice but to glare at the intruder in his kitchen and say, "Follow me."

Wordlessly Riku slung over his shoulders a scuffed duffel bag and a faded messenger bag which had been tossed on the hallway floor and followed Sora upstairs. The guest room was across the hall from Sora's room, in the front of the house facing the lake. Its most frequent occupants were Sora's grandparents and Kairi, when she stayed over late watching movies and such, so Sora felt strange leading the silent, unfamiliar boy into the pale green-painted room. At least his mother had the sense to decorate it in a neutral color, though Riku did not appear to appreciate this consideration as he glanced around the bedroom.

"Yeah, so, this is it," Sora said peevishly, irritated by the fact that he had to welcome this freak into his house and by the fact that the taller boy had yet to speak a word to him. "Bathroom's across the hall. Stay out of my room," Sora called over his shoulder as he left the room, headed for the kitchen and a few words in private with his mother.

**nunununununununununununununununun**

Riku glanced around the guest room where he had been left before flopping down on the bed, half-curled up with his face hidden in his arm. He was so freaking tired. The last two weeks had been one constant fight, ever since he had discovered the evil plot his dad had concocted with this woman to maroon him out here. He had tried everything he could think of to get out of coming, right to calling his mother – futile as ever, since she always told him to do as his father said – and running away, twice. He had meant to try again this morning, but that plan had been foiled as well.

No matter, he'd get back to the city somehow. There was no way he was staying _here_ all summer. The place was barbaric; a huge wasteland of trees with a few hicks living between them, no life, no excitement, no action. They couldn't even build twenty-story buildings. He doubted whether any of the houses were much taller than twenty feet.

They couldn't trap him in this hell-hole for three months. He'd just find a way back to the city somehow, and crash at a friend's place for the rest of the summer. At least there was some small semblance of a metropolis around the little airport where he'd landed. Hopefully there would be some city-types there willing to help him out, or able to be paid for the service. There had to be someone heading in that direction, and he knew how to deal with those types of people.

These country hicks, though, he didn't. Of course they were clearly stupid – why else would anyone live in this wilderness? – so he figured he be able to slip by them.

Convincing himself that he could be back home in two days, he decided to temporarily ignore the annoyance of being here and all the time he was wasting, and got up to look around.

**nunununununununununununununununun**

"Sora, please stop being ridiculous. I'll take that."

Sora handed his mother the serving dish he was holding, pressing on with his complaint. "Didn't you see him? He practically sneered at me when you said I made dinner."

"That's a perfectly good thing, that you made dinner."

"But–"

She wrapped an arm around him and kissed his forehead. "I'm thankful that you did."

"I'd be thankful if you hadn't invited over that stupid, cranky, obnoxious–"

"Sora."

He looked up at his mother's reprimand and saw Riku standing at the door of the kitchen. The blue-green gaze slid from him to his mother as Riku asked, "Can I eat in my room?"

"I prefer no food upstairs," his mother replied. She had let go of Sora, taking a step to stand between the two boys.

"Ok, then can I eat outside?"

"Sure, we all will! Good idea," she responded happily, ignoring both boys' groans. "Help me carry everything out to the patio table, won't you, boys?"

In five minutes time the trio was seated around a plastic table on the lawn, the teenagers discontentedly eyeing each other as Sora's mother chatted about things they could do during summer break. Neither of them volunteered any suggestions, though she tried to get Sora to share some of the things he had planned with his friends. Riku didn't seem to pay any attention to the monologue except when she mentioned going into the city, though when he realized by _city_ she meant the tiny one they had flown into, he lost interest.

As soon as the meal was over, Riku disappeared inside.

Sora sighed, flopping over to rest his head on his arms on the table.

"You should give Riku a tour tomorrow."

"What!" Sora exclaimed, jerking upright to stare at his mother incredulously.

"I think he'd appreciate it. He doesn't know the area, and you can show him where you like to go with your friends." She stood, collecting dishes into a pile to carry inside.

"I'd rather not," Sora mumbled grumpily, keeping his seat. "He doesn't want anything to do with me, and I don't want to hang out with him either."

"Oh, come on, how do you know he doesn't want to be friends?"

"Mom, he hasn't even spoken to me."

"He didn't say much since I picked him up… maybe he's just shy."

Sora snorted, remembering the arrogant look Riku had given him. "I think he's just a jerk."

"I'd appreciate it if you loose that attitude, and quickly, Sora."

"I don't even want him here! You invited him!"

"If you were staying somewhere alone, wouldn't you want your hosts to be friendly? Please, honey, do this for me. I'll be at work tomorrow."

"Yeah, I know," Sora replied, standing up and walking away into the house.

"Sora?" his mother pleaded after him.

"I'll deal with it," he called back, louder than he meant to in his annoyance.

As he walked away his mother called his name worriedly, but Sora didn't notice. He was too mad. So this was how the summer would go? Everything was about this new kid, was it?

He grabbed a phone off the wall in the kitchen, about to dial Kairi's number, but stopped short when he heard unfamiliar voices, loud and angry. It took him a moment to realize they were coming from the phone.

Shocked, he kept listening.

"And why the hell did you take my cell phone?"

"Why do you think I took it?"

"Don't fricking lie to me!"

"Riku, you had better not be this rude to my friend."

The owner of the younger voice, apparently belonging to Riku, snorted. "Don't worry, Dad, I have no plans of staying here."

"Riku if you run away again–"

But there was a slam as the teen hung up. Sora heard an irritated huff before second click made the line go dead.


	3. let me believe I'm somewhere else

Disclamer: the Kingdom Hearts kids belong to Disney, Square Enix.

Thank you Silv and Simply Hurt for reviewing. The middle of this chapter was inspired by Zanisha's story "Aesthetic" – inspired as in "ooh I want to write now," not "ooh I'm stealing her scene"… Read her story, it's cool! And so easy to find in my favorites.

**TEN WEEKS**

let me believe I'm somewhere else

_By Destiny Kitty _

When there was no answer to his knock, Sora pushed the guest room door open with one fist.

The stranger was lying on the bed on his back, one arm over his face to block out the sunset light streaming in the window. Sora briefly wondered if he was crying. On the phone he had sounded pretty upset.

"Hey," Sora said quietly, in case Riku hadn't noticed his entrance.

There was a pause before the other boy growled "What?"

"My mom says I should take you for a tour tomorrow."

Riku snorted.

Unable to stop his sympathetic reaction, Sora asked softly, "Are you ok?"

Blue-green eyes appeared briefly from under Riku's arm. "Beat it, kid."

Rudely snubbed, Sora bristled. "Fine!" he snapped, slamming the door behind him as he stormed out.

Riku glared at the door momentarily, then rolled onto his side, away from the window.

Fuming, Sora flung himself into his room, grabbing a phone to dial Kairi's number.

"Hey, how are you?" Kairi greeted cheerfully.

"It's a disaster!" Sora shouted, almost overwhelming himself with trying to rant and pace and not take all his exasperation out on Kairi.

"Hey, relax, it can't be that bad," she soothed.

Sora replied with an irritated noise somewhere between a groan and a huff. "You haven't met this kid."

"What's he like?" she asked.

Sora considered. "He's… dark and sketchy and freaky and annoying and… I don't know. Just weird. I wish Mom hadn't invited him over. She wants me to take him on a tour tomorrow. Ugh. He won't even talk to me!"

Kairi giggled.

"What?"

"Nothing. Want me to come over tomorrow for the tour?"

"Yeah, that would be great," Sora sighed. Kairi had a strangely effective way of making him feel better, no matter how upset he was. He felt almost able to calm down, if he didn't think about the boy across the hall.

"I'll be there."

Sora could tell she was smiling. It relaxed him, even more than just hearing her voice did.

"So…" she continued. "The day's not over yet. Are you still coming to the party at Tidus's house tonight?"

"Oh! Yeah, sure, I forgot about that," Sora apologized.

"I figured," she laughed. "Well, get ready and come on over! He said to be there after dinner."

"Ok, I'll see you soon," Sora said softly. At her farewell, before she could hang up, he hastily added, "Thanks, Kairi."

"No problem," she answered kindly. "Don't stress out too much, alright? And hurry up!"

"Ok," he agreed, and said goodbye.

**nunununununununununununununununun**

Riku fell asleep wishing he was somewhere, anywhere else, and slept too deeply and soundly and refreshingly to think of waking, even though it was barely evening. So by the time he was full rested, it was only six in the morning. He tried his best to fall back asleep, but as his mind awakened, restless irritation flooded back in, and he had to move.

Wandering cagily around the pale-green guest bedroom intensified his frustration until he wanted to pull his hair out, so he tentatively opened the door. The house was still. Soft snores issued from Sora's open room across the hall. Down further were closed doors, undoubtedly hiding the sleeping adults of the household.

The thought of parents drove him away, down the stairs, through the kitchen, outside. He doubled back to grab a jacket at the first touch of the morning chill before plunging into unknown misty silence.

Houses set at long intervals glowed faintly in the early morning light. His bare feet protested the wet grass but he ignored the feeling, striding carelessly downhill away from the place of his imprisonment.

The neighborhood was almost perfectly quiet, and that was creeping him out. Occasional breaths of wind ruffled the grass and his hair and knocked together a set of chimes on the next-door neighbor's porch. Scattered water birds cooed as they paddled along the lake shore.

Where was the life, the people and cars and sights, sounds, smells of ten million lives churning and colliding among each other? He felt isolated, abandoned, lost. Cold. It was freezing out here. He folded his arms tightly across his chest, hunching his shoulders as a breeze snaked down his neck. Bare feet met wet pavement as he crossed a street, glancing instinctively in both directions before almost laughing at himself. What was the point of checking for traffic when this lonely place obviously didn't have any?

The lake had a narrow beach, comprised of a twenty-foot-wide strip of dark sand and rock along the water's edge. Riku tested the water with one foot and retreated. Halfway along the beach, a wooden platform lay on the ground. He stepped up onto it, enjoying the relief to his cold feet of the less chilly wood, then sat down.

His camouflage pants were long enough to cover his toes, so he folded up his legs, wrapping his arms around them and laying his chin on his knees, glaring over the hazy surface of the lake in front of him.

The silence, that one might call peace; the isolation that could be seen as escape: it was so foreign. Too foreign. He found himself staring over his shoulder, heart in his throat, at a soft bang behind him. A door had slammed. Someone else was awake.

It was too unfamiliar, too isolated, too weird. Too much. _I have to go home, _he thought, more out of desperation than he would have liked to admit. He also knew he would never tell anyone how quickly he returned to the house belonging to the strangers his father used to know, or how relieved he felt to shut the door behind himself and breathe warm, indoor air.

_I'll go home and forget all about this. _

**nunununununununununununununununun**

Sora returned home from the party very late, expecting to sleep until about noon, but it was only a few hours later when his mother's voice scared him out of bed. Grumbling, he staggered sleepily across his bedroom to the clock radio on his desk. Apparently he had forgotten to disable his school alarm yesterday.

He listened to his mother laughing with her radio co-host for a moment, staring at the illuminated numbers that marked the time: 6:30. _Man am I glad I don't have to get up this early for the next three months,_ he thought. _Or, well, ten weeks._

A door closed downstairs. Wondering vaguely whether his father had just gotten back, Sora decided to greet him.

Trudging through his open bedroom door, he noticed that the door across the hall was also ajar. He glanced inside.

The room was empty. Riku was gone.

"Oh great."

His mother was away. She was the one in charge of this kid… except she had left him in Sora's care, at least for today. Now he was missing. His mom would be upset, and he would probably be to blame. Anger at the continually annoying boy growing, Sora headed quickly downstairs to meet his dad.

But as he reached the first floor and rounded a corner, he found not his father but the hypothetically missing stranger, leaning his back against the front door, messy-haired and pale-faced.

He hadn't anticipated that Riku would be the one at the door, causing him all this anxiety over his disappearance without doing him the favor of actually leaving; a hint of bitterness crept into his voice as he asked pointedly, "What are you doing?"

Riku raised his head in surprise at the unexpected voice, heart again beating unnecessarily fast. The son of that woman was staring at him with the same look of disgust on his face that he had worn yesterday. Fine, the kid didn't want him here? _I don't want to be here either._

"Why do you care?" he hissed tersely, standing. He brushed past the kid back upstairs, slamming the guestroom door behind himself.

Fiercely Riku promised himself, _I'll find a way home, and I'll find it today_, while downstairs, Sora fumed and swore that he would never ever call this obnoxious stranger his friend.

**nunununununununununununununununun**

Please review!


End file.
